MOUNTAIN BIKE PROGRAM
RILA - RHODOPE MOUNTAINS - MOUNTAIN BIKE PROGRAM - 8 DAYS
Day 1. Arrive at Sofia Airport.Transfer to the area of Govedartsi in the foothills of the Rila Mountains. Accommodation in local guest house. Short warm up ride if possible. Day 2. Govedartsi - Bachevo.Today we ride atop the picturesque ridge called Zekiritsa, provided with great views towards the alpine part of the Rila Mountains. We pass by a hut called Vada and continue to the village of Saparevo as we make picnic lunch on the way. On the bus we reach to Predela Pass between the highest Bulgarian mountains - Rila and Pirin. From that point we ride for two more hours to get to the village of Bachevo where we spend the night. Distance traveled: Govedartsi - Saparevo - 26.75 km / 470 m up / 930 m down. Day 3. Dobarsko - Velingrad.We start with a short transfer to the village of Dobarsko where we may visit a medieval church with well preserved frescos. From Dobarsko we ride on the southern slopes of the Rila Mountains trough spruce forests to reach the mountain resort called Semkovo. After a nice picnic lunch in the area we descend down to the Valley of Mesta River from where we get on the bus to transfer to Velingrad. Optional ride is possible in the late afternoon. Distance traveled: Dobarsko - Semkovo - Belitsa - 36.9 km / 560 m up / 780 m down. Day 4. Velingrad - Beglika.Today we will ride on a part of the so called "Batashka Mountains" Bike Route, designed to link the protected areas in the region. Following this route we will be able to visit some of the wildest places in the Rhodope Mountains. Particularly interesting are the natural reserves "Mantaritsa" and "Beglika" where a big number of endemic plants may be observed. In the afternoon we may opt for a short ride in the area of Beglika famous for its lakes and beautiful forests. Distance traveled: Velingrad - Beglika - 31 km / 880 m up / 130 m down. Day 5. Beglika - "Yagodina" cave - Buinovo.We ride further east to get into the heartland of the Rhodopes. On the way we will ride along the shores of the lakes "Toshkov Tchark", "Shiroka Polyana" and "Djenevra" - beautifully nested at an altitude of 1500 - 1600 meters above the sea and surrounded with century old fir and spruce forests. As we continue down in the Valley of Katrndjidere River we will come to medieval stone bridge called "Kemerov Most" - a fragment of the Roman Road network that was crossing the Rhodopes during the Roman Age. Further on we will climb a few kilometers to get to the village of Borino via Orpheus Hut. We get on the bus there to reach and visit the beautiful "Yagodina" Cave and the border village of Buinovo where we will spend the night. Distance traveled: Beglika - Borino 31 km / 380 m up / 650 m down. Day 6. Buinovo - Trigrad Gorge - Devin.From Buinovo we ride on a forest road in southern direction towards the Bulgarian - Greek border. In the past this was the border between the "Warsaw Treaty" and "NATO" and therefore it heavily guarded. After ten kilometers of smooth climbing we will reach to the actual border from where we will descend down the village of Trigrad famous for its caves and gorges. Here we may try some local dishes for lunch. In the afternoon we may visit the famous "Devil's Throat" cave and bike down trough the narrow Trigrad gorge. We end today's ride in the town of Devin - local spa resort where we may relax in the thermo mineral pools. Distance traveled: Buinovo - Devin 44 km / 300 m up / 900 m down.
Day 7. Pamporovo - Tchudni Mostove - SofiaIn the morning we use the bus to transfer to the ski resort Pamporovo where we get on the bikes and start riding on the main Rhodopean ridge in northern direction. We pass by "Izgrev" (Sunrise) Hut and "Gluhite Kamani" to reach the area of Tchudni Mostove (The Stone Arches) - a natural phenomena which is among the local people as "The Bridges of Wonder". We make a picnic lunch there and continue to the village of Orehovo. From Orehovo we transfer to Plovdiv / Sofia where our trip ends. Distance traveled: Buinovo - Devin 32 km / 500 m up / 700 m down.
Day 8. Sofia city tour. Departure.Depending on the airport timings we may do a walking tour in the center of Sofia.
Totals: Distance traveled: 250 km
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